X201 CPU Chirping Sound. Annoying!

[GT3R]

I purchased a x201 3 days ago. Great Laptop. However I have one issue! There is a sound coming from the left back side of the laptop probably where the cpu is located. Its like a buzzing/chirping sound. Its no very loud but its high pitched. I thinks its the CPU. Any one else hearing this.

I know the a/c adapter makes a noise similar, but this is coming from inside the laptop. It does not matter if its running off a/c or battery. The chirping sound is always on.

Core I5 with 64GB SSD and 4GB Ram.

[cbhoyer]

Hi,

I've got the axact same problem on my x200s.

I've got a 80GB SSD (intel) - I've thought about trying with an ordinatry HD - have you by any change tried this?

[Bilsko]

There's no audible sound associated with a solid state drive.  No moving parts and nothing operating at any frequencies (or harmonic frequencies) within audible ranges. 

If you don't have a spinning disc hard drive, the only thing that could be making the kind of noise you describe is the CPU fan.  It could just be that its not well oiled and that's what you hear.  

The noise you describe coming from the AC adapter is associated with the frequency and it has to do with  the rectifier used to convert AC to  DC power to deliver to your laptop: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetostriction

[Grimster]

CPUs DONT make any sound or noise. They are 100% solid state. The misguided call this noise "CPU whine".  In reality it is the coils in the voltage converters near the CPU that generate the noise. This has been proven long time ago and yes I am an electrical engineer.

Why do so many Mfrs use these (IMO defective) parts? Because they are CHEAP and they dont care if you're bothered by the noise. Simple as that.

[cbhoyer]

Before getting into a long discussion on that subject:

Yes, I do know that:

- SSD and CPU are without moving parts,

- A fan sounds like, well, yes, a fan, and

- I'm probably misguided

Anyway:

Grimster, if the sound I hear is what you describe as defective coils, will the sound then be affected by the workload on the CPU?

Is there any way to test if this is in fact what is the problem, that is, to an end user without the abilities to tear it all apart, measure stuff and so on (well, ok, I can do the first)?

Further, is it then general to all components, or is it more a question about some or most of them that are defective (IYO)? Basicaly, what is the change of getting it better if returning the machine to the manufacturer...

Regards,

Chr.

[cbhoyer]

BTW, the power-converter is out of question as well - I also know how that sounds - the sound is from the laptop (and no matter if the converter is connected or not).

Regards,

Chr.

[Grimster]

Listen, this has been discussed and proven YEARS ago. This is obviously your first laptop Im guessing.

CPUs dont generate ANY sounds or noise, nothing moves or vibrates in the CPU. Its simply impossible for it to generate any kind of sound. The coils in the voltage converters that feed power to the CPU are creating the noise.

Yes, different workloads will generate varying noise since speedstep varies different voltages to the CPU based on load which causes varying current flowing through the coils as well.

This has been discussed 1,000,000 times already.

There is only ONE thing you can do. Its to cover and coat the coils with silicon sealer to muffle the noise. People have done this and it does work although it is going a bit extreme...

[GT3R]

OKAY! So...... I think i have found the problem why the chirping sound is there. I believe there is an interference with other hadware within the same laptop! Restart your x200/x201's (but before you do, TURN OFF THE WIRELESS TAB located on the front left side. Now there should not be any more noise!

Let me know if it works for you!

However, this way you can't use wireless, but at least i now know that there is nothing really wrong with this laptop.

[Grimster]

What you believe and what reality is can two different things. Wifi cards do not generate sound nor do and other chips. It is the voltage regulator coils that vibrate due to poor Mfring which is creating the noise. No other components on any laptop motherboards can generate noise or vibrate. At least in our reality.

[Jimbo]

Grimster is right. And when you turn various parts of your laptop on or off, you're changing power states, which can affect the whining sound. For some solutions, see:

http://superuser.com/questions/121883/any-way-to-disable-specific-cpu-sleep-modes

Dell has an article about this in their knowledge base:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&cs=19&dl=false&l=en&...

So you have a choice between eliminating whine and having longer battery life between charges. If you don't like that, well, you know who built your computer.

[EDIT: BTW, here's a good video to help you determine whether what you're hearing is what people call "CPU whine":

http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c11/MrDJJim/computer/?action=view&current=NexusSoundTest.flv

The morse-code-like sound you hear during the "fan on" and "bluetooth off" tests is the "CPU whine," which disappears during the "bluetooth on" test.]